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One notable is that the closeup pic was not color corrected like his screenshots were. The material is NOT gray looking, but is a bright neutral white.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayla

My viewing distance is about 10 feet.

I recommend checking out a sample first. At 10 feet, those with acute vision can make out the texture if they're looking for it. It may not be bothersome - several are using it up to the minimum 8 feet - but it'd be safer to confirm that the texture is acceptable to you in your HT. Just email or PM me for a letter-size sample, or if you need larger they are available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayla

The screen is going to hang in front of a 60" Pioneer Kuro Elite.

Hanging the screen in front of a flat panel or other type of TV is a common application for this screen. Being retractable and AT is a great solution for dual-use areas like this. You'll need to have the black backing layer to make sure your Kuro doesn't reflect back through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayla

My room is only 90% dark (will never be a batcave, sadly) and I have white walls/ceiling. Will this screen be a good choice with this setup and how big can I go for screensize (I'd like to go as big as possible, while maintaining good picture quality)?

I cannot recommend enough the benefit of $20 in darker paint for your ceiling (higher priority - you'll get a surprising amount of splash up there with nearly any screen) and your walls. Going ANY shade darker will help. White surfaces can set your projector's contrast back 5 years. At least you have good light control, so you won't have to resort to the color shifting and uniformity problems from higher gain screens. Mech's review does show some ambient light shots in comparison to his gray, so you can get a decent idea what it'll look like.

Mike's right on that you CAN do up to around 115" in a 2.35 format with the VP11S1, depending on how bright it is in real world conditions vs. your personal preferences. Some lean towards wanting that head-turning immersive feeling, while going a little smaller will help boost your image dynamics and smooth out motion. If I had the VP11S1 (and white ceiling/walls), I'd probably go towards a couple sizes smaller. At 10' and 115" wide, you'd be at a head-turning 51.2 degrees. I only recommend that huge to those who have lived with viewing angles that large and know they want (or NEED) more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayla

PS. Does the new Somfy motors work in Europe (220v)?

I've only sold the standard RF motors into Europe (220v), but I'm sure I can get the Somfy's in 220v. I'd need to call my rep, but it shouldn't be an issue.

I am doing the same setup you are considering, as I have a SeymourAV screen that rolls down in front of my Pioneer 64" HD-RPTV. This is a great combination, and I love the flexibility of the setup, and how well it integrates into a multi-purpose family room! I also really like the performance of this screen material, as I think it gives the best combination of great looking video, and excellent sound transparency for a more realistic audio presentation. I am very picky on my audio and video quality, and this screen material gets high marks from me on both.

A few notes and suggestions. Be sure to get the black backing on your screen with your white walls and ambient light. This will help cut down on reflections from your TV and the white walls behind the screen. How big your screen is depends on your projector brightness. I have a Sony VW40 that I am using on a 115" wide 2.35 screen (126" diagonal). I use a constant height setup, and my 16:9 HDTV and 1.85 movies are at 100" diagonal. I am pleased with my brightness, though I will say that the 100" screen looks better if I have much light in the room, such as during the day, or when I have my blinds open. With your speaker locations it appears to me that a screen of 96" to 115" wide would be about right for a 2.35 screen for proper sound location. What is the actual output of lumens for your projector when used in best, calibrated mode? I see that your projector is rated at 700 lumens, but as you may know max ratings don't mean much.

One notable is that the closeup pic was not color corrected like his screenshots were. The material is NOT gray looking, but is a bright neutral white.

I recommend checking out a sample first. At 10 feet, those with acute vision can make out the texture if they're looking for it. It may not be bothersome - several are using it up to the minimum 8 feet - but it'd be safer to confirm that the texture is acceptable to you in your HT. Just email or PM me for a letter-size sample, or if you need larger they are available.

Hanging the screen in front of a flat panel or other type of TV is a common application for this screen. Being retractable and AT is a great solution for dual-use areas like this. You'll need to have the black backing layer to make sure your Kuro doesn't reflect back through.

I cannot recommend enough the benefit of $20 in darker paint for your ceiling (higher priority - you'll get a surprising amount of splash up there with nearly any screen) and your walls. Going ANY shade darker will help. White surfaces can set your projector's contrast back 5 years. At least you have good light control, so you won't have to resort to the color shifting and uniformity problems from higher gain screens. Mech's review does show some ambient light shots in comparison to his gray, so you can get a decent idea what it'll look like.

Mike's right on that you CAN do up to around 115" in a 2.35 format with the VP11S1, depending on how bright it is in real world conditions vs. your personal preferences. Some lean towards wanting that head-turning immersive feeling, while going a little smaller will help boost your image dynamics and smooth out motion. If I had the VP11S1 (and white ceiling/walls), I'd probably go towards a couple sizes smaller. At 10' and 115" wide, you'd be at a head-turning 51.2 degrees. I only recommend that huge to those who have lived with viewing angles that large and know they want (or NEED) more.

I've only sold the standard RF motors into Europe (220v), but I'm sure I can get the Somfy's in 220v. I'd need to call my rep, but it shouldn't be an issue.

Cheers,
Chris

Hi Chris

Thanks for the reply!

I have read the HT Shack review and it looked very promising.

I have perfect vision but I didn't think it would be possible at all to see texture from 3 meters (10 feet).

I would certainly get the black backing!

I actually thought the screenshots at HT Shack looked very good with ambient lighting. Yes the paint is cheap, the manhours are not

Also, it's not a dedicated HT room sadly, but a living room. I guess I could hire a painter one day in the foreseeable future.

I would like to avoid the headturning but I would also like to go as big as possible in screensize.

The "problem" is that I have about 98 inches between my left and right (wallmounted) speakers. If I go smaller than that there would be no reason to get an AT screen, I could just buy a "normal" electric screen?

My center is mounted rather low so the screen would never go in front of the center.

PS. As I replied to Mike, I'm considering the VP15S1 instead of the VP11S1, I can get them at the same price here. The VP-15S1 is rated at 1000 lumens instead of 700. I don't know how important that is, when considering my "light" room?

I have perfect vision but I didn't think it would be possible at all to see texture from 3 meters (10 feet).

I would certainly get the black backing!

I actually thought the screenshots at HT Shack looked very good with ambient lighting. Yes the paint is cheap, the manhours are not

Also, it's not a dedicated HT room sadly, but a living room. I guess I could hire a painter one day in the foreseeable future.

I would like to avoid the headturning but I would also like to go as big as possible in screensize.

The "problem" is that I have about 98 inches between my left and right (wallmounted) speakers. If I go smaller than that there would be no reason to get an AT screen, I could just buy a "normal" electric screen?

My center is mounted rather low so the screen would never go in front of the center.

PS. As I replied to Mike, I'm considering the VP15S1 instead of the VP11S1, I can get them at the same price here. The VP-15S1 is rated at 1000 lumens instead of 700. I don't know how important that is, when considering my "light" room?

Regards
Martin

Martin,

A brighter projector is always better when you have issues with ambient light, as long as you are not giving up too much on black levels or color accuracy. This does not appear to be an issue with the high quality projectors you are looking at.

As far as being able to see "screen texture", I have excellent vision and could occasionally see it at 11' with my old 720p projector, but when I upgraded to a 1080p projector whatever I was seeing seemed to go away. I also believe a brighter projector helps to minimize chances of seeing screen weave as well. IMHO seeing "screen texture" is unlikely to be a problem for you.

As far as more comments on screen size, I agree that you should go as big as possible, especially if you get a 2.35 ratio screen and a brighter projector. When you watch 16:9 TV or movies on a 2.35 screen your image will be smaller if you keep the original aspect ratio (highly recommended). On a 115" wide 2.35 screen a 16:9 image is around 100" diagonal. This is the size I view and really like at my 11' viewing distance. Since you are at 10' distance a 110" screen should be fine as well.

Have you considered a constant image height (CIH) setup? If not you should look into it, as this will improve brightness and picture quality of a 2.35 movie. Here is a link to a company in Finland where I bought my lens for my CIH setup. They have an excellent explanation of what an anamorphic lens does, and why they are nice to have. http://www.prismasonic.com There is also a good forum discussion area on CIH here at AVS http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=117

A brighter projector is always better when you have issues with ambient light, as long as you are not giving up too much on black levels or color accuracy. This does not appear to be an issue with the high quality projectors you are looking at.

As far as being able to see "screen texture", I have excellent vision and could occasionally see it at 11' with my old 720p projector, but when I upgraded to a 1080p projector whatever I was seeing seemed to go away. I also believe a brighter projector helps to minimize chances of seeing screen weave as well. IMHO seeing "screen texture" is unlikely to be a problem for you.

As far as more comments on screen size, I agree that you should go as big as possible, especially if you get a 2.35 ratio screen and a brighter projector. When you watch 16:9 TV or movies on a 2.35 screen your image will be smaller if you keep the original aspect ratio (highly recommended). On a 115" wide 2.35 screen a 16:9 image is around 100" diagonal. This is the size I view and really like at my 11' viewing distance. Since you are at 10' distance a 110" screen should be fine as well.

Have you considered a constant image height (CIH) setup? If not you should look into it, as this will improve brightness and picture quality of a 2.35 movie. Here is a link to a company in Finland where I bought my lens for my CIH setup. They have an excellent explanation of what an anamorphic lens does, and why they are nice to have. http://www.prismasonic.com There is also a good forum discussion area on CIH here at AVS http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=117

Mike

Great info Mike, thank you.

I think I will go with the VP-15S1 then to get the most Lumens.

It is my first projector and I'm not able to see it in action before I buy (very limited market in Denmark). But I am able to audition another DLP projector (Planar, 4x color wheel I think), to make sure I don't see any rainbows before I go DLP.

If 110" 2.35:1 is the best size for me, I'm not sure I would need an AT screen. A 110" is about 96" wide and I have 98" between my L R speakers?

Thanks Mike, I have looked at the lenses, I guess I need one for my 2.35:1 screen. I was considering the just released Panamorph UH480, looks like a great lens!

I'm very confused about all the "calculations" I need to make. How high should I mount the projector, how far back, how high should I mount the screen, with the UH480 in front of the pj, how does that affect where I should mount it. It's all very confusing, but I bet I'm gonna love it when it's all set up!

It is my first projector and I'm not able to see it in action before I buy (very limited market in Denmark). But I am able to audition another DLP projector (Planar, 4x color wheel I think), to make sure I don't see any rainbows before I go DLP.

Most of us in the US don't get to see our projectors before we buy them either. There are very few A/V stores that have projector setups, and if they do it's either not the projector you are looking for, or not set up right.

Quote:

If 110" 2.35:1 is the best size for me, I'm not sure I would need an AT screen. A 110" is about 96" wide and I have 98" between my L R speakers?

For a 2.35 screen many people talk width and not diagonal dimensions. So Chris and I meant a 110" wide screen, which is around 120" diagonal.

Quote:

Thanks Mike, I have looked at the lenses, I guess I need one for my 2.35:1 screen. I was considering the just released Panamorph UH480, looks like a great lens!

I just wanted to make sure you were aware of anamorphic lenses and their benefits. I've heard good things about Panamorph too.

Quote:

I'm very confused about all the "calculations" I need to make. How high should I mount the projector, how far back, how high should I mount the screen, with the UH480 in front of the pj, how does that affect where I should mount it. It's all very confusing, but I bet I'm gonna love it when it's all set up!

Regards
Martin

The best thing to do to figure out your calculations is to download the manual for the projector you are buying, and see what it says. There is a lot of difference in how projectors should be set up and installed.

WOW, finally got my screen up and installed. Wow what a beautiful picture. I’m using a Epson Pro 1080UB about 14 feet away on a 105” wide, 120” diagonal 16:9 screen with the black AT backing. I do not notice the weave in the fabric with seating at 12 feet and back. The quality and workmanship in the screen is beautiful. The design is top notch as well and well executed. I’m not getting any puckers or waves in the screen either. I’m also not getting any moiré imaging on the screen with my LCD projector. I am losing about a 1 db drop in audio volume – so nothing to worry about there. Chris has done a wonderful job of designing a screen with many installation options . I’d prefer a little bit longer power cord option, but I can live with the 118 incher. Being a weakling, it took three guys to lift and install the screen. But once I figured out how much tilt to use to align the case to the hanging bracket installation went well.

So overall – a big thank you to Chris for a well made wonderful powered AT screen. It’s a great value also. I don’t know where else you can get this high a quality screen with a motorized AT design, and implement it at this high a performance, made in America for the low prices Chris charges. I’d recommend Chris and his screens to anyone looking for a fine, well made screen with a high value to price ratio. Even if you don’t need an AT screen or the motorized feature – the screen is still a great value.

Ignore my impatience. Chris got back to me with some good questions that has my head spinning with dunno's and questioning my own reasoning.

Same story as many people. My viewing distance will be somewhere around 10' for my first row. I want to go 2.35 and looks like 110" wide is what I am going to go with. Based on what many people say I will go with the in between, not 120" and not 100", just a good 110" wide screen with velcro on the back and a good 2" border in addition around the sides at a 15 deg offset.

Sorry I ever doubted you Chris.

Sorry to get off topic for a sec but...

I will not be starting my actual build for about a year as I am in Afghanistan but I am designing and buying pieces as I go so all I have to do is get home and start assembly.

I will post my entire build process to the group as I go since all my inspiration has come from many of you and people like Ruben. But I am working on the cheap on my speakers and refuse to upgrade them. I was fortunate enough that before I got married a few years back I had bought a 7.1 setup made up of decent Klipsch Synergy speakers.

After my screen purchase I am working on with Chris, all I have to do is buy a PJ and a pre/pro setup. I will be doing an IB made up of 4 Tempest-X 15's behind my screen.

Hey guys,
Can someone PM me a ballpark street price for a 100" electric AT, I know retail prices on the site are all>$1200 but that can't be street from what I've read? The Elite AT which I had hoped for hasn't reviewed well in the AT department...thanks.

Hey guys,
Can someone PM me a ballpark street price for a 100" electric AT, I know retail prices on the site are all>$1200 but that can't be street from what I've read? The Elite AT which I had hoped for hasn't reviewed well in the AT department...thanks.

The prices on the SeymourAV web site are correct, and VERY reasonable for the quality of screen you are buying. Any other AT screen with decent performance and high quality materials (not Elite) will cost 2-3 times as much. SeymourAV is an internet direct type of company, so they don't sell their screens through retail chains. This lets them charge lower prices, as there is no "middle man". The quality and performance of the SeymourAV screens will blow away anything from Elite, or any other company for that matter.

If the ready made prices are too much for your budget, you can buy the screen material from Seymour, and make your own. I did this myself, and it works pretty well, but have just ordered a ready made screen so I can have all the "bells and whistles".

When you compare the prices between SMX which uses a similar, if not the same material, the price of Chris' screens are a bargain. Then when you compare his screens to Stewart or others that use micro perf, Chris' screen material layout doesn't lend itself to moiré problems. Using a weave type material on a diagonal design has eliminated moiré issues. The tab tension design keeps wrinkles under control. The fit and finish of the screen, border and case are top notch. So really I think Chris doesn't have a peer in the price range of the screens. I love my screen and the picture is just incomparable. I'm using a Epson pro 1080 UB mounted about 14 feet back from the screen with a 105 inch wide 16:9 form. I'm not having any screen issues. No moiré, no wrinkles, no light reflections back through the screen with use of the black backing material. I'm using the standard motor, which is a little bit slower than the Somfy and maybe a little bit louder - but really those are minor points. I don't see a reason to pay the premium for the Somfy motor option. But if you want that motor it is available. I can't recommend Chris' screens enough. I place audio performance higher than most, so doing Chris' AT screen design was important for me. I don't believe I would have been happy with the micro perf screens. Especially with the moiré problems using LCD type projectors. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you go with Chris and his AT screen.

Yes, "street" is what the site shows. For 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the major screen companies' "AT" screens, you get at least 2.4x the hole density (e.g. no EQ, closer speaker and viewing minimums, no moire) and real fabric velvet borders, not that grey fuzzy-edged painted crap.

In other news, I know I still owe a GoM report regarding its sound transparency vs black backing, as well as light opacity, etc. It's on the list, but orders and emails always take priority.

The installation guide has been updated. I know I still need to put Somfy-specific information in there. Now that some are being built, I'll upgrade it later.

The DIY guide has also been updated, thanks to some feedback - especially from Alan DeAngulo. Hopefully it's more helpful now and increases the proportion of folks who claim "it was cake" versus "it caused my divorce."

Could someone with a current model Seymour motorized screen tell me, how centered is the screen plane with respect to the front/back of the case? Does it change (with rolled diameter) as the screen is dropped/retracted or is it fairly static (like through a guide)?

I'm trying to plan how far offset from my A/V cabinet I'll need to mount the case on the ceiling above it to keep the gap to a minimum but also keep it from making any contact during up/down operation.

Just got my shipping notification on Thu and am eagerly awaiting arrival of my SeymourAV CenterStage screen!! Planning my install and adding an outlet in the ceiling today so I can just hang it and start watching but have one last question.

Can someone tell me, does the batten roll up entirely into the case when the screen is fully retracted? Or is some amount left outside the case and it sticks out past the rear of the case? I'm trying to determine how far beyond the edge of the crown molding (which sticks out 2" from the top of my A/V cabinet) I should allow in mounting so nothing hits on the way down. Naturally I want to position the screen as close as possible without risking any contact with anything.

Ideally everything rolls up back flush into the case. There's a strip of color-matched foam trim along the bottom of the case, which dampens case vibrations (quiets things down) and helps to hide the bar and black blacking. Since the screen uses real fabric velvet for the borders, it has some variability in how it packs up and rolls up, so you may see a little of the black backing or bottom edge of the bar peeking out if you're looking up at the case. On black cases, it's hard to see; on your white case it'll be easier to see.

While it's never happened to anyone, I like the black backing to err on the side of peeking out of the case a little so it can't get hung up in the case and mis-behave. There are corner ties to ensure it rolls down with the screen, but I make sure I can see the edge of that layer to make sure it behaves properly.

I'm about to order Seymour material for my 96x54 screen. I'll be using an Optoma HD70 DLP and will be seated 11-12 ft.

On the Seymour site, Chris says tilting the fabric 15 degrees isn't absolutely necessary. It will cost twice as much to put the screen on a 15 degree bias.

Has anyone used a DLP screen with the fabric straight?

Any words of wisdom will be appreciated.

Doug

Go with the 15 degree angled fabric. I have used both straight and angled, and the PQ with the angled material is better even with projectors with minimal pixel structure. I started out with a non-angled screen, and it was fine with my 720p Panasonic 900, but as soon as I tried some 1080p projectors moire' started showing up, sometimes worse than others depending on the projector. My buddies 1080p Mitsubishi 4900 had REALLY bad moire' due its very defined pixel structure, while my recently purchased Sony VW40 (LCOS) had much less moire', but still enough to bother me. I suggest you do it right the first time, or you will eventually regret it.

mlbrand, I've also got the PanasonicAE900. I just got my sample piece from Chris (thanks).

Based on your comments, and my viewing, I can't see any moire. However, it sounds like you are strongly advising to get the angled fabric regardless. Particularly, I will be making the upgrade to 1080p at some point myself.

mlbrand, I've also got the PanasonicAE900. I just got my sample piece from Chris (thanks).

Based on your comments, and my viewing, I can't see any moire. However, it sounds like you are strongly advising to get the angled fabric regardless. Particularly, I will be making the upgrade to 1080p at some point myself.

Thanks for your comments.

Tony,

Yes, I would definitely go angled to future proof your screen. My Sony has some of the most "film like" non pixelated pictures of any projector, but there was still a little bit of moire' visible with the straight screen, mainly on scenes with a large area of a solid color, like sky shots, etc.

I would also recommend getting the black backing, unless you have very dark walls behind your screen. I did not have the black backing on my DIY screen, but went with it on the screen that SeyourAV built for me. I was surprised at how much the backing helps PQ. I have a lot of black gear behind my screen, with small openings to tan walls, and the contrast ratio and black levels still really improved with the black backing. I don't notice any change in sound characteristics either, movies still sound great.

I've been busy this summer, but I've been able to watch a few good movies on my new electric screen from SeymourAV. This screen and my Sony VW40 are a great combo! When I get time I will post some screen shots. I also need to sell my DIY Phifer screen material when I get around to it. Check in later.

Hi all -- after much searching at the end of last year, I ordered a 120" wide screen to hang in front of my flat-panel TV, and mounted on the ceiling.

I found the ordering process easy and Chris' expertise with my many questions to be extremely helpful, and once I got the screen mounted, it's been everything I could have hoped for.

About 4 months into use, I had what sounds like a pretty rare issue with my motor (actually, all Seymour screens now use a different motor than mine), and the screen was stuck in the down position.

I wrote to Chris for help, and he knew immediately what the issue was. His response was prompt.

I was having serious nausea about the idea of dismounting the screen from the ceiling, finding some way to pack it up, and shipping it back out to Iowa. I mentioned this to Chris.

Chris' response was to FLY to my house, in Boston, get a hotel room, all on his own dime, to fix it. He came out in less than a week, on a weekend, and we (really he, I sort of sat there and stared) took the screen down, made some attempt to repair the old motor, and then installed a brand new one, reassembled the screen, and remounted it on the ceiling. Chris also took the time to make a few tweaks to my screen to improve things. It is back to working perfectly.

While I have no doubt that this kind of issue is vanishingly rare and that Chris is not forced to fly about the country fixing screens, I have to say that it was the single best customer service experience of my life. Even after a long flight with a delay in Newark, of all places, and spending many hours repairing the screen on a Saturday night, with both of us tired and hungry, Chris was pleasant, professional, and I can't say enough good things about him or his product.

Hi all -- after much searching at the end of last year, I ordered a 120" wide screen to hang in front of my flat-panel TV, and mounted on the ceiling.

I found the ordering process easy and Chris' expertise with my many questions to be extremely helpful, and once I got the screen mounted, it's been everything I could have hoped for.

About 4 months into use, I had what sounds like a pretty rare issue with my motor (actually, all Seymour screens now use a different motor than mine), and the screen was stuck in the down position.

I wrote to Chris for help, and he knew immediately what the issue was. His response was prompt.

I was having serious nausea about the idea of dismounting the screen from the ceiling, finding some way to pack it up, and shipping it back out to Iowa. I mentioned this to Chris.

Chris' response was to FLY to my house, in Boston, get a hotel room, all on his own dime, to fix it. He came out in less than a week, on a weekend, and we (really he, I sort of sat there and stared) took the screen down, made some attempt to repair the old motor, and then installed a brand new one, reassembled the screen, and remounted it on the ceiling. Chris also took the time to make a few tweaks to my screen to improve things. It is back to working perfectly.

While I have no doubt that this kind of issue is vanishingly rare and that Chris is not forced to fly about the country fixing screens, I have to say that it was the single best customer service experience of my life. Even after a long flight with a delay in Newark, of all places, and spending many hours repairing the screen on a Saturday night, with both of us tired and hungry, Chris was pleasant, professional, and I can't say enough good things about him or his product.

Cool story! After meeting Chris when I picked up my screen, and seeing how much he cares about making a high quality product, this really doesn't surprise me. Though of course he can't afford to fly around the country very often (especially at todays ticket prices ), this story speaks volumes about his level of customer service and desire to get his product "right".